Houston was on the wrong end of a botched call late in their Monday game against Iowa State.
The No. 2 Cougars were in position to topple the No. 6 Cyclones on the road, leading 63-55 more than halfway through the second half at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. With just over six minutes left, Houston forward Joseph Tugler used his active hands to deflect a pass, creating a live-ball turnover that would have likely resulted in a fastbreak layup.
Instead, referees called a kicked ball violation against Tugler despite his legs not being involved in generating the steal.
Really awful — and obviously incorrect — kicked ball call on JoJo Tugler here. Not the sole reason Houston lost but that’s a big momentum swing with the 3 to make it a 5-point game instead of having the ball up 8. pic.twitter.com/OVDtr5D7sc
— Greg Rajan (@GregRajan) February 17, 2026
The call may have changed the complexion of the game entirely. Iowa State took advantage of their possession redo by hitting a three-pointer — a virtual five-point swing for the home team. The triple became part of a 10-0 Cyclones run that tied the game at 63 all.
Iowa State closed the game on a 17-4 run en route to a 70-67 win over the higher-seeded Houston. The Cyclones used a balanced attack to pick up the victory, with all eight players who took the floor scoring at least six points. Senior forward Joshua Jefferson led the team in scoring with 12 points.
Iowa State fans were made witnesses to another moment of “Hilton Magic,” this time coming in the form of a blown call that fortuitously went the home team’s way.
